SIOUX CENTER, IA (03/26/2013)(readMedia)-- Area students are part of Dordt College's concrete canoe team working to create the college's canoe for the third year in a row. Participants include :

Erin Conley of West Liberty, Iowa, is a senior majoring in engineering. Conley is serving on the administration committee and the paddling team.

Brendan Conley of West Liberty, Iowa, is a sophomore majoring in engineering. Conley is serving on the concept design committee and the paddling team.

The 200-pound canoe will be entered into the annual Concrete Canoe Competition held by the American Society of Civil Engineers. The regional competition is slated for Friday and Saturday, April 19 and 20, at the University of Minnesota-Mankato. Dordt's 2012 Kernel placed third regionally and the 2011 Cannon took fifth.

This year's canoe earned the Greek name Koinonia, a word meaning "fellowship," the team said. "As a smaller college with fewer students in our engineering department than larger schools, our concrete canoe team has a unique opportunity to reach out to other majors and organizations on campus for recruiting and support," reads the project's executive summary. "To reflect this campus-wide effort as well as the relationships built during the year on the team, the theme for the canoe this year is 'community.'"

The Greek theme is carried into the design as well as it resembles classical Greek pottery. "The terracotta dye for the concrete combined with black concrete and stains for detailing give Koinonia a distinctly Greek look," the summary continued. "The outside face of the canoe is lined with people holding hands drawn in Greek style as a visual representation of community."

Examining and learning from their work from the last two years the team came up with ways to save on water usage during the curing process. This year, a new misting recycling system was designed and built to re-use the misting water. Other environmental and economic issues were considered during the design process, including reusing foam and molds from last year to decrease waste and cost.

Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa, is a comprehensive Christian college rooted in the Reformed tradition. U.S. News & World Report, Forbes.com, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review all list Dordt on their best colleges lists. Dordt is home to approximately 1,400 students. To learn more about Dordt College, visit www.dordt.edu.

Free e-Book Download
April 12, 13, 14,
"IT AIN'T FINE IF IT DON'T RHYME"
A 190 page, eclectic collection of lyrics written over the past 50 years by Toronto & New York songwriter, Andy Halmay, will be available for free downloads on April 12, 13, and 14 on amazon.com
The lyrics and lead sheets in IT AIN'T FINE IF IT DON'T RHYME include songs recorded by Paul Simon, Carl Perkins, Fred Neil, Lillian Briggs, The Geezinslaw Bros., Eddie Fontaine, Skip Roper, Bob Riley, Betty Ann Shor and many others on Columbia, RCA Victor, Brunswick, London, Baton, Tibor, Sunbeam and Justice record labels.
Some lyrics are from songs yet to be recorded and some from upcoming films.  One of these introduces a new genre, "Comic Country Rap;" another, Halmay originally wrote for an off-Broadway revue, provides a consummate and humorous definition of the word "Baksheesh" (tip or bribe) used throughout the Middle East and Eastern Europe.
Youthful and energetic octogenarian Halmay, a multi-award winning ad man (JWT, Y&R, B&B, Ted Bates) has worked with legendary names such as John Huston, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Jackie Gleason, Lorne Greene, and wrote songs between commercials. Later he switched to feature film development where he is now introducing "Musical Product Placement," a concept that integrates musical talent in the stories of films that leads to musical entities promoting the films before the films are released; subsequently, once in release, the films promote the artists.
1200 mile Mississippi River Water Walk aims to draw attention to the health of the river.

Sharon Day River Walk  Image 1.jpg

A group of Indigenous Women are carrying a ceremonial copper pail of water from the headwaters of the Mississippi in Minnesota to the delta at the Gulf of Mexico in Louisiana.

The Mississippi River Water Walkers and their supporters will leave Lake Itasca State Park on March 1 following a traditional Ojibwe water ceremony at 7:00 am and will continue walking each and every day until they reach the Gulf near New Orleans on or around April 29th. Now four weeks and 600 miles into their mission, the women have walked through heavy wind and snow in the Upper Midwest as lower than average temperatures made the going rough but did not dim their enthusiasm or dampen their commitment.

The Water Walkers aim to draw attention to the perils facing the river due to pollution. The Mississippi River is the second most polluted river in the United States. Toxic chemicals from municipalities, farms and corporations are taking their toll on the river. By the time a drop of water reaches the "dead zones" near the mouth of the river, the water is nearly depleted of oxygen. The Walkers bring a message of hope as they educate people along the way and encourage them to do what they can to be better stewards of the river..

"We want the walk to be a prayer," Day says. "Every step we take we will be praying for and thinking of the water. The water has given us life and now, we will support the water."

Ballet Quad Cities

and Orchestra Iowa

present

Cinderella

The most beloved storybook ballet of all times

 

Saturday, April 13th ~ 7:30pm

Sunday, April 14th ~ 2:30pm

Paramount Theatre in Cedar Rapids, IA

Tickets available through Orchestra Iowa

CLICK HERE for details

...

Saturday, April 20th ~ 1:00pm & 7:30pm

Adler Theater in Davenport, IA

Tickets available through the Adler Theatre Box Office

CLICK HERE for details

For more information, contact Ballet Quad Cities

309.786.3779


 

Saturday, March 30 
Hockey, Welding, & Ice Cream: A Love Story

A Reading Featuring the Work of Thax Douglas, Al Johnson's Final Flu, & Ryan Werner. Poetry, Prose, Fiction.

DubuqueFest presents "Hockey, Welding, & Ice Cream: A Love Story" on Saturday, March 30, 7-9 p.m. at Eronel Art + Music Venue, 285 Main Street. The evening features a reading of original work from writers Thax Douglas, Al Johnson, & Ryan Werner. This rock-n-roll inspired reading serves as a fundraiser for the 36th annual DubuqueFest Fine Arts Festival.  DubuqueFest t-shirts and signed, limited edition silk-screened posters by artist Rich Rossignol will be available for purchase. A sliding scale donation of $5-$10 is suggested. All proceeds from the door support DubuqueFest Fine Arts Festival. More information at www.dubuquefest.org

Friday, April 19
Emerging Artist Showcase

DubuqueFest presents an emerging artist showcase exhibit on Friday, April 19, 2013 from 7-9 p.m. at the new Nash Gallery, 371 Bluff Street in Cable Car Square. The exhibit will feature 10 area emerging artists in an open genre exhibit and 10% of all sales on opening night will be donated to the festival. DubuqueFest t-shirts and signed, limited edition silk-screened posters by artist Rich Rossignol will be available for purchase. Refreshments will be served and a $10 donation is suggested. The new Nash Gallery is located above Monks Kaffee Pub, entrance is at the rear of building.

Saturday, May 4
An Evening with William Elliott Whitmore

Mindframe Theatres, 555 JFK Road, in Dubuque sponsors DubuqueFest's "An Evening with William Ellittot Whitmore." With a voice that sounds like the reincarnation of an old gospel preacher from the 1920s and a fascination with sin, death, and redemption to match, Iowa Native William Elliott Whitmore is one of the most unique artists to emerge on the Americana scene in years. Whitmore will offer a one-man performance on the Mindframe stage. This concert serves as a fundraiser for our festival. Raffle tickets will be for sale for chances to win a variety of artful prizes. Tees & Prints for sale too! Tickets are $20 at the door and includes 1 free raffle ticket. Tickets on sale April 1. Visit dubuquefest.org for ticket information.

The World's Longest Panoramic Portrait of a Three Day Arts Festival

You're Invited to Pose for the Portrait!

Photographer and artist Tim Olson will use a 1935 vintage studio camera to create a hundred foot long portrait of DubuqueFest. During the festival, Olson will roll his camera along a path that winds through Washington Park and, at intervals of approximately ten minutes in time and ten feet in distance, he will stop and make a single exposure. The 250+ photographs will be stitched together to create a single, highly detailed panoramic portrait of the festival. You're invited to find Tim & his old-timey camera during the fest & pose for the portrait. This project is made possible by funding from the Iowa Arts Council.

Festival Sneak Peeks



Help your garden bloom with new ideas in "Liven Up Your Landscape" programs at the Main Library, 401 19th Street.

 

Starting a Rain Garden, Monday, April 1, 6:30 pm, Dan Mays, Scott County Master Gardener, will share some tips and tricks to getting started, and some recommendations you won't find anywhere else. Pick up an application for the City of Rock Island's Rain Garden  program at the end of the evening.

Flying Flowers in Your Garden, Monday, April 8, 6:30 pm, Roxie and Dallas DeShane, River Bend Wildland Stewards, will share what host plants each butterfly wants for their larvae. Learn what you can do to attract these "flying flowers" to your garden this spring. Handouts will be available.

 

Vegetable Gardening - A Feast For the Eyes and Palate, Monday, April 15, 6:30 pm, Make your vegetable garden the star of the neighborhood by choosing edible plants that are nutritious, tasty, and beautiful. Sandy Russell from Tastes of the Rainbow will show how using organic or heirloom seeds will add color and flavor to your vegetable garden.

 

Check our library website for dates!

 

Starting April 1, you can say "charge it" at Rock Island Public Libraries. All Rock Island Libraries will accept MasterCard, VISA, Discover and American Express. as a payment option on DVD checkouts, fines, charges, and donations to the library.

 

Charges for DVD checkouts will no longer be placed on account.

 

Spring Cleaning?

Mark your calendars for the library's annual drive-up-and-drop off event for shredding personal papers. The free Community Shred Collection Day is Thursday, April 25, from 3:30 to 5:30 pm, in the alley outside the Main Library.  Please note that Thursday is correct; there was an error in the Township newsletter.

 

Representatives from Document Destruction & Recycling Services will be on hand to collect personal papers for secured bulk shredding at their monitored facility in Davenport. Additional shred days held at other libraries. Check the Money Smart website or call 309-732-7303.

 

America's Music Coming to the Library

 

From April 11 to May 23, the halls of local libraries and non-profits will resound with the beat of uniquely American musical genres, thanks to the grant-funded "America's Music" project.

 

Bettendorf, Davenport, Moline and Rock Island Public Libraries, in collaboration with River Music Experience and Western Illinois University-Quad Cities, will host the six-week series, which features documentary film screenings, scholar-led discussions of twentieth-century American popular music and live performances.

 

"America's Music: A Film History of Our Popular Music from Blues to Bluegrass to Broadway" covers a wide span of musical interests, including blues and gospel, Broadway, jazz, bluegrass and country, rock n' roll, mambo, and hip hop. Upcoming events include :

 

Thursday, April 11: 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm, Kick-off of the America's Music project, featuring a live performance by Iowa Blues Challenge winners The Candymakers, at RiverMusic Experience.

 

Tuesday, April 16: 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm, Blues & Gospel Week, featuring a Blues & Gospel film and discussion of Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues: Episode 1 and Say Amen,Somebody: Rock Island Main Library Community Room, 401 19th Street.

 

Or, email americasmusicqc@gmail.com or call 309-524-2470.

 

"America's Music: A Film History of Our Popular Music from Blues to Bluegrass to Broadway" is a project of the Tribeca Film Institute in collaboration with the American Library Association, Tribeca Flashpoint, and the Society for American Music and has been made possible by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Additional local funding from Riverboat Development Authority.

National Tragedies Can Be Avoided with Vigilance, Understanding & Guidance, says Novelist

For adults, high school is as near or far as the next or last reunion. But for thousands of teens, high school is a present hell of isolation, confusion and negativity, says novelist Ryan D. Pearson.

"Think about the young men who live in infamy because they somehow couldn't channel their energy in a positive manner - Adam Lanza in Connecticut; James Holmes, the 'movie-theater shooter;' the two Columbine shooters; Jared Loughner, who shot U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords - some were extremely intelligent, and they were passionate, too," says Pearson.

Precocious in high school, Pearson earned his law degree at age 21 and went on to write "The Element Series," (www.theelementsseries.com), which follows a teenager blessed with wealth and fame who discovers he has the added responsibility of super powers.

"One aspect I love about comic books and fiction is that the character arcs show how some become the villains, and those who stand by their values - the heroes."

Teens, who have experienced life only as children, suddenly find themselves in very adult circumstances in high school - that last step toward adulthood, he says. For many gifted, talented, sensitive or otherwise misunderstood teens, he offers tips for surviving this last step toward independence:

• Embrace what makes you different: Perhaps the most important struggle a teenager faces is self-acceptance. Many may believe that that straight-A, all-star jock with a perfect complexion has it made. Meanwhile, he may be experiencing his own inner turmoil. If you care about things no one else seems to care about; if you're better at chess than football; if you think you don't fit the mold of "pretty" or "handsome" - you might just be on the path to happiness. A great example receiving plenty of attention is the It Gets Better project, which encourages gay teens to embrace their sexuality. However, the concept can be applied to anyone who feels like an outsider. "There is only one you; don't be afraid of who you are," Pearson says.

• Perhaps the greatest commencement address: While life is just beginning after high school and college, it's rarely easy - that's the thrust of George Foster Wallace's 2005 speech to the graduates of Kenyon College. Wallace, a giant of contemporary literature, touches on some of the most important adult challenges: the potential loneliness of adult life, the importance of being well-adjusted and the difficulty of empathy - "Think about it: There is no experience you've had that you were not at the absolute center of." Truthful, unflinching and humorous, the speech has since resonated online.

• You can change!: A depressing mindset for unhappy high school students involves the idea that nothing about one's experience will change. "Everything changes - this is the one rule of life you can count on," says Pearson, whose went on a worldwide adventure after college. "Teens who go the villainous route often have an attitude that nothing about them or the world is going to be different unless they intervene with extreme behavior." In reality, one or two key shifts in thinking can change the course in a young person's life trajectory. Friends, parents and educators have the best access for helping a troubled teen to "see the light."

About Ryan D. Pearson

After completing a Bachelor of Laws degree at age 21, Ryan D. Pearson took a leap of faith by leaving the beautiful beaches of Australia to travel the world. He eventually landed in Montreal, where he lived for several years before returning home to write about his adventures. He overcame many challenging personal experiences and now embraces an audacious new lifestyle. Pearson writes about his own character arc - involving a supernatural and overzealous way of life - via character Reagan Jameson.

The Bettendorf Discovery Shop invites you to join them Thursday, April 4th and Friday, April 5th for their 21st annual cookbook and kitchenware event.  

We will have hundreds and hundreds new and vintage cookbooks, china, dishes, linens, and many other kitchen items.   We have also received a wonderful collection of new and vintage milk bottles, bottle carriers, and other dairy related items that will be included in this event.  

If you love to cook, or know someone that does, this will be the perfect day for you to shop at the Discovery Shop.  If you have cookbooks or cooking related items that you would like to donate for this event we would be happy to have them.

The Discovery Shop is an upscale resale shop selling gently used items donated by the community and staffed by over 100 volunteers.  Proceeds go to the American Cancer Society for cancer research, education, patient services and advocacy.

Donations are accepted anytime the shop is open and a tax receipt is always available.  Hours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 am to 5 pm., Thursday from 10 am to 7 pm. and Saturday from10 am to 4 pm.

The Buffalo Bill Museum's Building Addition Kickoff Fundraiser Dinner wil be held on Wednesday, April 3, 2013 at the Crane & Pelican Cafe.

5:00pm - 6:00pm:  Social Hour (Appetizers and cash bar)

6:15pm:  Dinner Served (choose from Cody Road Bourbon Chicken, Sawyer Farms Roast Beef, or Sabina Dawley's Spring Quiche

Desserts by 12th Street Sweets, Davenport

$35 per person in advance; $40 per person at the door.

Limited Seating - Will Sell Out Early - Don't Wait

For tickets, send payment NLT March 30th with dinner choice to the Buffalo Bill Museum, Box 284, LeClaire IA 52753 or call the museum at 563-289-5580.

Captain and Sabina Dawley built the Dawley House (now known at the Crane & Pelican Cafe) in 1851.  They raised nine children in the house.  The Captain and Sabina will be joined by two of their daughters and other LeClaire residents when they welcome you to their home on April 3rd.

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Dave Loebsack announced today he will bring together a group of stakeholders in Clinton TOMORROW, March 26 at 2:00 p.m. for a roundtable on Preparing Today's Employees for the Jobs of Tomorrow.  Loebsack will be joined by local leaders in education and economic development to gain insight on how to ensure employees are properly trained so they can effectively compete in the 21st Century global economy.  Media are invited to attend.

Preparing Today's Employees for the Jobs of Tomorrow Roundtable

Clinton Community College Auditorium

1000 Lincoln Blvd

Clinton, Iowa

2:00 p.m.

###

Pages